Method of feeding articles to grinding machines



Feb. 23, 1932. A. VUILLEUMIER 1,846,561

METHOD OF FEEDING ARTICLES TO GRINDING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1929 //V VE/V TOE ALBEQT UU/LLEUM/E/Q,

'H/s ATTOQ/VE Y Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT VUILLEUMIER, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE NEW DE- PABTURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TION OF CONNECTICUT -Application filed April 4, 1929. Serial No. 352,460.

This invention relates to a method of feeding articles to grinding machines and comprlses all the aspects of novelty herein dlsclosed in connection with a method of feeda ing balls to a oenterless grinding machine having grooved wheels. In a prior centerless grinding machine for rinding balls between grooved wheels, ithas on proposed to feed the balls intermittent- 1o ly in a straight line along a work support from one set of ball grooves to another, one-of the opposed wheels being moved intermittently awa from the other to let the balls pass the ri s separating the grooves. This movement of the wheel has heretofore seemed necessary although it leads to complications and expensive mechanism and the wheels must be arranged side by side. An object of the invention is to provide an improved at method of feeding articles to centerless grinding machines, such that the above mentioned and other disadvantages can be overcome. Another object is to provide a method of feeding balls from groove to groove of opposed wheels which revolve on normally stationary axes. To these ends and to improve generally and indetail upon methods of this character, the invention further consists in the various matters hereinafter de-' ao scribed and claimed.

In its broader aspects, the invention is not necessarily. limited to the particular steps selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an end view, with parts in section,

of apparatus for carryin out the method, the articles being in grin ing position. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the articles being in feeding position.

.Fig. Zris a left side view of, the apparatus, thearticles being in a slightly difierent feeding position. 1 ig 4 is a plan-view of the lower wheel and feed mechanism, the articles being in grindin position. R

%he preferred steps of the method consist in moving the articles transversely of the wheels into the mating grooves at the grinding throat for grinding, afterwards moving the articles transversely out of the grooves,

'ly rotatable regulating wheel 12 to form a grinding throat between them. When grinding balls, the wheels have sets of mating grooves 14 conforming to the balls and the Wheels preferably have their axes parallel. Each ball is ground a little in each pair of mating grooves and its transfer from one pair of grooves to another is sufiicient to insure a changing axis of rotation for producing a true spherical shape. When in grinding position, each ball or other article is supported by one of the wheels and held in the grinding throat from movement other than rotation by a pair of aligned rods 16, each adjustably and removably fastened by a set screw 18 to-a yoke 20 which surrounds the grinding throat. The rods may be provided with hardened tips to engage the articles. The yoke is slidable transversely of the wheels by any suitable mechanism to carry the balls into or out of the grinding throat.

When the balls are out of the grindin throat, they are supported on alon 'itudina ly reciprocable slide 22 having ball grooves 24 which are preferably spaced apart the same distance as the wheel grooves and located in alignment with the wheel grooves.

A short rearward sliding of the slide 22, will thus move each ball from transverse alignment with one pair of wheel grooves into transverse alignment with a succeeding pair of wheel grooves, each ball of course being free to move longitudinally ofthe wheels with the slide from between one pair of rods 16 to the next pair. Whenever the ballsare moved transversely between the wheels by the yoke 20 and rods 16, they roll out of the grooves of the slide 22 into the wheel grooves 14 and the empty slide 22 then moves for-- wardly', its first groove, as indicated in Figs.

throat and advance all of them, includin the new ball, after the yoke 20 slides outwar ly again. Whenever the slide 22 thus moves rearwardly, to the position shown in Fig. 3,

the balls in the supply pipe 26 may be retained by an ungrooved extension at the front end of the slide 22 and a finished ball in the rear groove 24 of the slide is ready for removal beyond the rear ends of the wheels as by an extra rod 28. v

The location of the feed supply pipe beyond the ends of the wheels is not essential the slide between the ends of the first pair of rods. A feed slide may be desirable at each' side of the grindin throat with the yoke slidable from a mid e position to both sides alternatel and with one or more sources of supply. t is also within the province of the invention to secure self dressing of the wheels by grinding in the odd and even grooves al-' ternately. It is not essential to have the wheels arranged one over the other although this is preferred to save floor space and for other reasons, such as to t better control of rotation of a round arti e. 1

I claim:

,1. The method of feeding articles to a grindin machine having a grooved wheel periphera y opposed to a second grooved ,wheel to form a grinding throat between them, which; consists in moving an articletransversely of the wheels into a groove at the grinding throat, holding the article from movement other than rotation in the groove for inding, moving the articletransverse- 1y out of the grindin throat while ma1nta1n-' ing the grooved sur aces of the wheels in a constant spaced relation, and moving a second article transversel of the wheels into said groove; substantially as described.

2. The method of feeding articles to-a grindin machine having a grooved wheel periphera y opposed to a second wheel to form ing throat, holding a grinding t oat between them, which consists in moving an article transversely of the wheels into one, of'the grooves at the the article in the groove for grinding, moving the article transverse- 1 out of the grindingthroat', moving the artic 0 into not er groove for furtherjgrmding and simultaneousl movin another article transversely of t e 'whee into the first groove; substantially as described.

3. The method of feeding articles to a grinding machine having a grooved wheel eripherally opposed to a second wheel to orm a grindingthroat between them, which consists in moving an article lengthwise of the wheels from a position beyond one end of the wheels'to aposition in line with a wheel grindaeeaeei groove, and movin the article transversely of the wheels into the groove at the grinding throat; substantially as described.

4:. The method of feeding articles to a grinding machine having a grooved wheel peripherally opposed to a second wheel to form a grinding throat between them, which consists in moving an article transversely of the wheels into a oove at the grinding throat, holding the article in the groove for grinding, moving the article transversely out of the grindingthroat, moving the article lengthwise of the wheels to a position beyond the ends of the wheels, and moving another article transversely of the wheels into the groove; substantially as described.

5. The method of feeding articles to a grinding machine having a grooved wheel peripherally opposed to a second wheel to orm a grinding throat between them, which consists in moving an article transversely of the wheels into one of the grooves at the grindin throat, holding the article in the groove or grinding, movlngthe article transversely out of the grinding throat, moving the article lengthwise of the wheels to a position in line with another wheel groove, and again moving the articletransversely into said other groove for further grinding; substantially as described.

6. The method of feeding articles to a grinding machine having agrooved wheel peripherally opposed to a second wheel to orm a grinding throat between them, which consists in moving an article transversely of the wheels into one of the grooves at the grinding throat, holding the article in the groove for grinding, moving the article transversely out of the inding throat, moving the article lengthwlse of the wheels to a position in line w1th another wheel oove, again moving the article transverse y into said other groove for further grinding, and

ing the article in the groove for grinding,

moving the article transversely out of the grinding throat, again moving the article len hwise of the wheels to a position in line wit another wheel groove, and again moving the article transversely into said other ove for further grinding; substantially as escribed. g 8. The method of feeding articles toagrinding machine having a grooved wheel periphlit erally opposed toa second wheel to form a grinding throat between them, which consists in movin an article lengthwise of the wheels at one si e of the grindin throat to a position in line with one of e wheel ooves, then moving the article transversely mto the groove at the grindin throat, holdingethe article in the groove %0 the article transversely out of the grinding throat, again moving the article lengthwise or the wheels to a position inline with another wheel groove while moving a second article into line with the first groove, and again moving the first article transversely into said other groove for further grinding while moving the second article into the first groove substantially as described.

9. The method of feeding balls to a granding machine having a grooved wheel peripherally opposed to a second grooved wheel to form a grinding throat between them, which consists in rolling a ball transversely of the wheels into mating grooves of the wheels,

holding the ball for rotation in the grooves for grindin and rolling the ball transversely out of t e grooves; substantially as described.

10. The method of feeding balls to a grinding. machine having a grooved wheel peripherally opposed to a second grooved wheel to form a grinding throat between them, which consists in rolling a ball transversely of the wheels into mating grooves of the wheels, holding the ball for rotation in the grooves for grinding, rolling the ball transversely out of the grooves, sliding the ball longitudinally of the wheels, and rolling it transversely into another pairofmating grooves for further grinding; substantially as described.

11. The method of feeding articles to a grinding machine having a ooved grinding wheel peripherally oppose to a regulating wheel to form a grinding throatbetween them, which consists in moving the article transversely of the wheels into the grinding throat,

supporting thearticle on one of the wheels for'rotation during grinding, and holding the article from all movement except rotation during said grinding; substantially as described. v

12. The method of feeding articles from groove to groove of a pair of peripherally opposed wheels, which consists in maintaining the grooved surfaces of the wheels in constant spaced relation to preserve the width of the grinding throat between them, and moving an article out of the grinding throat to pass it around the rib which separates one groove from another; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. A ALBERT .VUILLEUMIER.

r grinding, moving 

